Falling Into Place
by clslovegood47
Summary: In a moment of panic, Ladybug slips off of a rooftop as her transformation times out. Luckily, Chat comes to her rescue; however, his heroic act leads to a conversation in which more than just their identities are revealed. WARNING: Season 3 Finale Spoilers


This was my submission for the Miraculous International Discord's November fanfiction writing contest. The theme was "Fall", so I wrote about Ladybug falling off a roof during the Fall which leads to our heroes falling in love.

ENJOY!

Comments are always appreciated. They fuel my need to keep writing about these wonderful, lovesick dorks.  
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I cross-post on AO3 and on Tumblr.

Tumblr: gryffindorcls  
AO3: clslovegood47  
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I own nothing but the plot.

* * *

Marinette slumped and let out a frustrated huff. She flipped over her pencil and ran the eraser across the dark scribbles that covered the page sitting on her lap. After brushing off the paper with the back of her hand, she tried to sketch a new dress. Still unsatisfied with her work, she tore out the design, crumpled it up, and tossed it to the side.

Usually, designing was the perfect way for Marinette to take her mind off of things for a few hours, but today's thoughts were all-consuming. She'd even gone to her favorite spot in the Trocadero Gardens in an attempt to calm her racing mind; however, much to her chagrin, nothing was working.

She threw her head back and allowed her skin to soak in the warmth that radiated from the sun's slowly fading rays. While the failing light of day gave the gardens an ethereal glow, a crisp chill was beginning to settle over the city. The goosebumps on her arms were a subtle reminder that she was not properly dressed to spend any length of time in the cold Autumn air that was expected to arrive after sunset.

Marinette knew that she needed to leave, but her head still felt fuzzy. Thoughts of the previous day swam through her brain as she began to muster the energy to pack up her belongings and walk home. Unfortunately, she soon discovered that she was not yet ready to move from the steps of the Trocadero. When she finally gave into her desire to stay a few minutes longer, she closed her eyes and replayed yesterday's events in her mind.

* * *

_It had been late...too late. Ladybug was tired of dealing with Hawkmoth's nighttime Akumas. It was three o'clock in the morning, and all she wanted to do was sleep. She was weary in both body and mind, for the strain of being the new Guardian was beginning to take its toll. _

_The number of Akuma attacks per week had steadily increased since Fu's departure, and Mayura now seemed to be even more active than she was before. Were it not for Chat Noir's encouragement and support, keeping up with her civilian life on top of being Ladybug would have been an impossible feat. Nonetheless, she was tired, and she knew that she needed a break._

_To make matters worse, a steady rainfall had made that day's Akuma battle particularly difficult. For both heroes, the world had been rendered nearly unnavigable by shallow pools of water that threatened to make them lose their balance. After an exhausting fight, Ladybug threw her Lucky Charm into the air and called for the Miraculous Cure._

_She knew the time left on her transformation was limited, but the sensation of standing still was euphoric. For a brief and fleeting moment, she felt completely at peace._

"_Why are you still here?" her partner called out, breaking her out of her reverie, "I just recharged, but you only have a few seconds before you change back!"_

_Ladybug's heart began to race as the final warning beep on her Miraculous pierced through the night. She turned to Chat who stood wide-eyed on the other side of the rooftop. _

_Without taking the time to scan her surroundings, she began moving towards the edge of the roof. _

"_Don't look!" she yelled in desperation._

_While reaching for her yo-yo, her foot landed on a slick patch of concrete that caused her to stumble backward._

"_Ladybug!" Chat screamed as she began to fall into the alleyway below._

_She plummeted towards the earth with her face pointing towards the sky. As she fell, the bright pink light that accompanied her detransformation flooded the confined space. _

_Marinette closed her eyes and braced herself for the inevitable...but the crash never came. Instead, she felt a pair of strong steady arms wrap around her body and pull her close. The familiar smoothness of her partner's suit slid against her bare hands as she melted into his embrace. His heart raced beneath her cheek as he cradled her against his chest._

"_I got you," Chat whispered breathlessly into her ear._

"_Thank you, kitty," she replied, her heart beating equally as fast, "You...um...you can put me down now."_

_His long, golden hair brushed against her face as he shook his head. "I-I think I need a minute...could...could you give me a second?"_

_The reality of what had transpired over the last two minutes came crashing into Marinette's brain. After taking a moment to process her thoughts, several burning questions thumped against the forefront of her mind. _

_She swallowed against a dry throat. "Chat?"_

"_Yes?" he said shakily._

"_Did you see who I was?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Are we close in our civilian lives?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Is that all you can say?"_

"_No...I-I'm just...I saw you, and I'm afraid to look again."_

_Marinette's heart sank. "Oh? And why is that?"_

_He sobbed. "Because I'm not supposed to be this lucky...or unlucky...or...I-I almost lost both of you...I don't know what I would have done if that had happened."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_She was right...that's why...all along...you...the feeling in my chest every time I saw you. I didn't know what that was. I know now...God, she was right!"_

"_Who was right? Chat look at me." Marinette pushed herself away from her partner only to find a broken expression plastered across his face. _

_She'd seen pain like that on him before. Images of cold blue and stark white flashed across her mind and caused a shiver to course through her body. _

_Marinette needed to calm him down...fast._

_She reached up and touched his cheek. "Hey, kitty, could you take me home?"_

_He took a stuttering breath and nodded against her palm. "Sure, Princess. Just hold on tight, okay? I'll keep you safe."_

"_I know you will."_

_As soon as Marinette had secured her arms behind his neck, Chat pulled her against his chest, got onto his feet, and unsheathed his baton. In one swift movement, he launched them into the night and bounded across the rooftops. However, instead of putting her down when they had reached their destination, Chat stood silent and unmoving on her balcony._

"_Hey...um...you can let go now. I can stand. I promise I'm okay," she murmured against the collar of his suit. _

_His muscles tensed around her. "Mmmhmmm...sorry."_

"_No...no, don't be sorry, Chaton."_

"_I-I just need you to be safe."_

"_I am."_

"_Are you sure?"_

"_Yes, you can put me down. I'm not hurt. You saved me."_

_Hesitantly, Chat gently placed Marinette's legs on the ground. She slowly removed her arms from the back of his neck and dropped them to her sides._

_He looked away. "I guess you want me to leave now."_

"_No, Chaton." She reached out and placed a reassuring hand on his forearm. "Please come inside. It'll give us time to talk."_

_Marinette took his hand and guided him to the windowed hatch that led to her room. Once inside, Chat sat at the end of her bed and stared at his hands in his lap._

"_So," she started, "you said we were close in our civilian lives. Can I ask how close?"_

_He looked up. "Will I have to give back my Miraculous if I answer that question?"_

"_No, I'm the Guardian now, and you will get to keep your Miraculous no matter what is revealed tonight. You are my partner, and you're irreplaceable. However, I can't help but wonder...is that what's really bothering you about this situation?"_

"_No."_

"_Okay...then what's on your mind?"_

"_I realized something about...umm...someone said something to me today, and it's all I've been able to think about. I was kind of distracted during the battle and up on the roof, and then you almost fell...what if I had been too late? What if I hadn't caught you? What then, Marinette? You mean so much to me. You always have."_

"_But you did catch me. Right now, you're acting like we're close friends who see each other every day. Are we really that close?"_

_He slumped. "You sit behind me in class."_

_Everything inside of Marinette froze. "I...what?"_

"_You're my friend, and...well, today I...she...and now…I can't. I'm sorry...I can't."_

"_Chat, are...um...," she took a deep breath before continuing, "I know you're not Nino...are you Adrien Agreste?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Oh, my…okay. T-that's a lot to process, but we can do this. Ummm...would you like to detransform before we continue this conversation? Would that make you more comfortable?"_

_He shook his head. "I hate to do this, but I really need to get home. I have a photoshoot that starts in three hours."_

"_But, Cha...no...Adrien, we need to talk. I need to make sure you're okay. I can't have you go home upset."_

"_What?"_

"_Y-you can't get Akumatized. Please stay."_

"_You're worried about me?"_

"_I care about you, and I don't want you to be sad. It could be really bad if you stayed upset."_

"_You thought I was upset? Oh, Marinette...I'm sorry." He crawled across the bed, situated himself in front of her, and took both her hands in his own. "I didn't mean to make you think I was upset. No...I'm a little...well, more than a little...I'm overwhelmed. The shock of seeing you fall, learning your identity, and then...well...never mind. Look, I'm fine. I think I just need to sleep. Are you sure that you're okay? Because you not being okay is the only thing that would make me upset right now."_

_Marinette laughed. "Yes, kitty. I promise that I'm okay. Thanks to you, I don't have a single scratch on me."_

_For the first time that night, he smiled. "I'm relieved to hear that. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you."_

"_Will I see you tomorrow?"_

"_Yes...but I'm going to be busy during the day. We can talk during patrol."_

"_Okay."_

_Chat pulled her into a tight hug. "Goodnight, my lady. Text me if you need anything, and please take care of yourself. I'm happy that you're okay, and knowing that it's you is the greatest thing that's ever happened to me."_

_Marinette's heart pounded against her ribcage. A mix of confusing emotions swirled around her mind, rendering her unable to speak._

_When her brain began functioning again, she perked up just in time to see Chat climbing through the hatch above her bed. _

"_Goodnight!" she called out with a wave before dropping her voice to a whisper, "What happens now?"_

* * *

Marinette sighed and tapped her pencil against the paper in her sketchbook. After Chat had left last night, she'd fallen into a restless sleep. The exhaustion she now felt today was lowering her ability to concentrate.

Just as she was about to give up and go home, she heard footsteps approach from behind. Her body tensed as she readied herself for a confrontation.

"I thought I'd find you here," spoke a warm and loving voice, "What are you doing out in the cold, my lady?"

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Adrien."

Marinette gasped as a gentle pressure pressed down on her shoulders. She reached up and was surprised to feel both a wool coat and a warm hand. Upon turning around, her gaze met two bright green irises.

"You're shivering," he said with a furrowed brow, "Why are you out here without a coat?"

"I didn't realize it would be so cold."

"It's November."

"Well, it was warmer earlier."

"The sun is going down."

Marinette turned her head away. "Yeah...I know."

Adrien took a seat next to her on the stairs, snaked his arm around her shoulders, and held her against his chest. "We need to get you warm. Also, I thought you were going to take care of yourself today. Where is your jacket?"

Her breath hitched. "I...I left it at home. I've been a little distracted today because of...umm...you know. At least I know I can always count on you to take care of me when I need help."

Adrien gave her a small squeeze. "Always."

"Thanks, _Chaton_."

"_My lady_, I...I...can we talk?"

She sucked in a breath through her teeth. "Here? There are a lot of people around, and if you want to talk about what I think you want to talk about, I don't think we should have this conversation out in the open."

He shook his head. "No, no...umm...not here. I was hoping we could talk at your place...maybe? Only if you're okay with it that is. Umm...my dad is kind of weird about guests, and I couldn't wait until our next patrol. Also, your room is kind of...what's the word...warm, and we didn't get to finish last night. I did a lot of thinking today, and I have some things that I really need to say. But then again...I don't want to seem pushy...ugh...I'm sorry. I shouldn't invite myself over like that...it's rude. I just…"

Marinette pressed her finger against his lips. "Hush, _Chaton_. Adrien is my friend, and Chat is my partner. You are always welcome in my home."

"Really?"

"Yes, _really_."

"The only reason I ask is because your face is turning redder than your suit. I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable."

She lifted her hands and pressed them against her cheeks. "I didn't even realize...it must be because I'm still cold. No, you're fine. Everything is fine."

He pulled away from Marinette. "Are you sure? Because I know I've definitely made you feel uncomfortable in the past. Not so much now, but when we first met you...umm...yeah."

"Well, things are different now."

"Different...how?"

It was true that her friendship with Adrien had improved over the past few months, but that was only because of her decision to move on from him as a romantic interest. Her stutter had faded, but today it was threatening to rear its ugly head. A sadness that she had done her best to repress began to bubble in her gut. She shook her head to clear the unpleasant feelings from her mind.

With a smile, she met Adrien's gaze. "Come...if we want to make it back to my place before it gets completely dark, we need to leave now."

Adrien scratched the back of his neck. "My bodyguard drove me here, so if you wanted to go in my car, that's an option."

"That sounds perfect."

"Really? Great! Uhh...shall we, my lady?" He stood up and extended an arm for her to take.

After closing her sketchbook and slipping her pencil into her crossbody bag, she cheerfully linked arms with him. "We shall."

When they eventually reached the car, Adrien opened the door for her, and she slid into the backseat. Moments later, he took his place in the seat next to her. They sat in a comfortable silence all the way to her family's bakery.

Upon their arrival, Marinette quickly whisked Adrien up to her room before her parents had the chance to embarrass her. Once they were upstairs, they made their way to her chaise and sat down at opposing ends.

Adrien wrung his hands. "I want to apologize for last night."

Marinette cocked her head to the side. "Why? You didn't do anything wrong. It's my fault that you found out my identity."

"It's not that. I want to apologize for leaving before we had the chance to really talk about this. Honestly, I don't care if I show up to a photoshoot looking exhausted. That's what make-up is for. The truth is...I...it had to do with something that Kagami said to me yesterday."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Did you know that she told me that she's in love with me?"

"I assumed that she did. That's why I left after I helped you two escape the Bourgeois' anniversary party. I didn't want to get in the way of anything that may have been happening between both of you. I'm happy that the two of you got together."

"That's just it...I didn't get together with her. Not officially. We went out on a few dates, but that's about it. I could never fully commit...because I'm still hopelessly in love with someone else."

Something suddenly clicked inside of Marinette's brain. "_If he's Chat Noir, then that means that the girl he's been in love with all this time is…"_

"Me," she whispered.

Adrien hung his head. "Yes."

"You're in love with Ladybug."

"Oh, um...yeah. I'm not just in love with Ladybug...I'm in love with you, Marinette. Yesterday when I saw the two girls who hold my heart meld into one amazing person, I could barely function."

"Wait...me? You...Adrien Agreste...are in love with me?"

"Yes, and I think I have been since the day I handed you my umbrella. Something Kagami said to me yesterday made me realize that you're not just a friend to me. I've always felt like you were more than that. Now that I know that you're also my lady, I finally know why."

"What did Kagami say to you?"

"She wondered if I was ready to be her boyfriend yet, and I said no...again. Kagami then asked me if it was because I was still in love with you. I always knew you were special, but hearing Kagami say that to me...let's just say she was right. Last night, I went to sleep trying to figure out how I was in love with two people at the same time, and then after the battle, I discovered that I was actually in love with only one person. That's why I freaked out."

"It's okay...I'd be lying if I said I wasn't freaking out, as well."

"And I'm sorry...I know you're in love with Luka. I seriously debated telling you all of this, but I can't lie to you...especially not about how I feel. I..."

She cut him off. "No...I'm not in love with him. I mean, I love Luka, but not romantically."

"But I thought...you two were always so close. You always told me that you were in love with someone else. If it's not Luka, then who is it?"

Marinette took a deep breath and gathered all of her courage. "The boy that Ladybug kept turning down Chat for...well, he's sitting in this room."

Adrien's eyes lit up. "Me?"

"It's always been you. I tried to give you up a few months ago, but I failed."

"Really?"

She bit her lip. "That umbrella you gave to me is my most prized possession. It reminds me of the day I fell in love with a kind-hearted boy who stood in the rain and told me that he'd never really had friends before. My heart has belonged to him ever since."

Adrien tentatively scooted closer. "Marinette, I…"

"And then...I couldn't talk to you for the better part of a year…"

"Marinette…"

"Didn't you ever wonder why I was always such a spaz around you? I just kept messing up everything, and OH GOD...I did so many embarrassing things…"

"Marinette…"

"There's that time I gave you Master Fu's prescription...oh, and the wax museum...ugh...this is horrible!"

"Marinette!"

She looked up to find Adrien sitting inches away from her. "Y-yes?"

He reached over and took her hand in his. "May I kiss you?"

"What?"

"I'd really like it if I could kiss you."

"We've kissed before, _Chaton_."

"That's not fair...I don't remember any of those kisses."

"Are you sure you want to kiss me?"

"Only with your permission."

Marinette couldn't believe this was happening. It felt like a dream...a beautiful dream come true. Butterflies fluttered around her stomach as she gave him a small nod. Seconds later, Adrien's lips crashed onto hers. He let go of her hand wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her closer while she reached up and cupped his cheeks in her hands. Fireworks exploded inside her as he deepened the kiss.

All too soon, they broke away.

Adrien chuckled. "Wow."

Marinette nodded. "Yeah...wow."

"Do you think we could do that again?"

"We have to go on patrol soon."

"I think Paris will survive one night without us."

Marinette rolled her eyes. "You see...you say that now, but what happens when an Akuma shows up?"

Adrien pressed his nose against hers. "Hawkmoth's Akumas show up regardless of whether or not we're patrolling. At least tonight we'd have the _purr-fect _incentive to finish the fight quickly."

"Yes, you're right, and who are we to turn our noses up at something that would boost our effectiveness as heroes?"

"Does that mean I can kiss you again?"

"Yes, Adrien. You can kiss me again...whenever you want."

"As you wish, my lady."

"Kiss me, my prince."

Adrien once again closed the space between them. She smiled beneath his lips. It was the perfect moment. She suddenly felt as if she could do anything and overcome any challenge as long as she was with her other half.

Marinette knew they were going to be okay. Her heart told her that their love would not end in disaster, and her mind assured her that their relationship would not lead the world to ruin. That timeline was gone. Paris was safe. They were safe. Everyone was safe. Together they could protect each other from Akumatization. This time, their love would not be their weakness; instead, their love would be their shield. It was finally their time.

They spent the rest of the evening in each other's arms until Adrien was called to return home. Before leaving, he promised to see her again the next day. Marinette waved goodbye as he climbed through her hatch and disappeared into the living room below.

That night, Marinette went to sleep with a smile on her face and a fullness in her heart. Everything was finally falling into place.


End file.
